How Do We Go Back?
by forever-exile
Summary: It has been one year since She Returns. Naota has forgotten everything that has happened to him so many years ago. Now that he has made a meaningful life with Eri, his past comes back for one reason, him.
1. A House Keeper's Return

**Chapter 1: A Housekeeper's Return**

**A/N: Here is my 6 part FLCL series! Takes place only a year after 'She Returns.' Hurray for FLCL!**

**D/C: I don't own any of the FLCL characters.**

**Read and Review, please.**

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I woke up to the sound of thunderclaps during a heavy storm. I look up at the ceiling as room filled with lights from multiple lightning strikes. We removed the top bunk of my bed and used the extra wood to make my bed a bit bigger, now that Ninamori is sleeping at my place, we decided that it would be better if she slept on a much bigger bed. I turn over to face Eri, I listened to her breath as she slept.

The thunder and lightning raged all night, I thought that I may be some kind of warning, or omen. I quickly shook that thought away and watched Eri sleep, I didn't sleep at all that night.

Dawn's first light shined through my window, I feared that the light might disturb Eri, so I shielded her with my body, I slowly got up and shut the curtain. I turned around and I already saw Eri up.

"Noata, what are you doing up?" She stretched out her arms and let out a loud yawn.

"I wanted us to sleep in today, I didn't want you to wake up just yet."

"But you are already up."

"I couldn't get much rest last night." I sat down on the bed and she leaned against me, wrapping her arms around my chest.

"Now, why was that, hun?" She started to kiss my neck gently, her lips were perfectly smooth and soft, her kisses tickled me, and I flinched each time her lips met the skin of my neck. After some time, she began to bite, and each bite was as tender as the last.

I pulled her around me and caught her, she sat on my lap. She wasn't wearing much, just a shirt she put on last night, and a pair of white panties. I pulled her to me and our lips met. She gave me innocent kisses at first, teasing me with light kisses, keeping her lips closed. I waited for her to permit me entrance, and she did. Her tongue slid in and out as mine did. We kissed for almost a minute, and then she got up. She turned to me and gave me a quick smile as she ran and jumped on top of me. I fell back on to my bed and she rested her head on my chest. Her fingers smoothly caressed my skin.

"So, why couldn't you get any sleep last night?" She finally asked again.

"There was a storm and it went on all night."

"You were scared?" She giggled.

"No, it just woke me." She started kissing my neck again.

"Why didn't you go back to sleep?"

"Because…" I was suddenly interrupted by a loud crash that sounded from outside my window. I turned over to let Ninamori down and I got up, opened my window and looked down below. The street was completely covered in white fog. I heard the bakery entrance door open, but I couldn't see anything because of the smoke.

"Eri, wait here and put some clothes on." I ran downstairs, I heard my father talking to someone but I still couldn't make out who.

"Sure, you can stay here as long as you like. I will say this, you'll have to sleep down here tonight, if that's alright with you? The smoke entered the shop so even from the stairs, I still couldn't make out who the other person was. I went back upstairs and slowly entered my room.

"Noata?" Eri put on some blue jeans while I was out of my room, she was still wearing my white tee-shirt.

"Eri…" I was once again interrupted by a loud slam, my door flew open and another person embraced me from behind.

"TA-KUN!"

"What?" I immediately recognized that whiney voice, her scent was different, but her voice was extremely familiar.

"Ta-kun… what happened to your room?" I escaped the grasp of this woman, and I turned around and took a seat next to Eri.

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" The woman who stood in front of me gave me not another word, she quickly turned around and left my room. My mind riddled with thoughts, searching for a name I had long forgotten.

Eri stood up almost immediately, she took of my white tee, she wasn't wearing a bra underneath, I couldn't catch a glimpse of her breast from where I was sitting, by the time I tried moving, she had put on her bra. She then put my white tee back on. She turned around and looked straight at my eye.

"Noata, why is that older woman doing here?" Then it sparked me.

Memories of an 'older woman' who had great effect on my life…

"_Hey look, is the older woman, you know the 'kiss-kiss' one!_"

My head still searched and searched for that name but couldn't find it.

"_You call her ---------, you two must be close."_

Nothing, just little things here and there, but nothing close to a name.

"_You see, ------ and I have that kind of relationship."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Mouth to mooooouuuuuuth!"_

The door slammed shut, I looked up at Eri, she was still waiting a reply.

"Eri, I don't remember that woman. I'm tormented because I know I knew her, from a long time ago. I can't remember her name!" I lowered my head, and slumped my arms. Eri picked up my head and her eyes were calmer than before. She didn't say anything but I knew what she was thinking, _'Noata, you belong to me.'_

I slowly paced downstairs, Ninamori followed, we sat on the couch in the main room and I flipped on the television. Eri laid her head on my lap and my fingers quickly found themselves in her hair. I gently ran my fingers through her hair and kept them there. I slightly jumped when I noticed that the older woman sat down on the other couch. She was starring at us, and her yellow eyes burned in a fury so deep, that I was able to feel it. Somehow, I think that she may be jealous.

"Hi!" The older woman finally let out. I pretended I didn't hear her and resumed giving all my attention to Eri. I knew that I got to the older woman because I saw her get up and leave, but she quickly came back, this time with a guitar. Once again, my head raced with thoughts.

"_You're the one I saw first, Ta-kun."_

My head started to hurt. Looking into those yellow eyes only brought me pain.

"_Your head is the only one that works" _

"_Maybe I should teach you how to be a man."_

And suddenly, like a ton of bricks, it hit me. It was Haruko… my voice slurred at first, but my uncertainty still persuaded my thoughts.

"Ha…Haru….Haruko?" The older woman did not respond, she just sat there with that guitar. I called out her name once more. "Haruko?"

She gave me a quick look with her yellow eyes. I did not realize that my hand moved away from Eri's attention, but I couldn't move my shaky eyes away from the older woman. I remembered almost everything after the name came back. Her body had developed more noticeable features. The first thing I noticed was the size of her chest, she had grown. By the time I moved my eyes away from her chest, I saw Haruko blushing. I quickly looked down at Eri, she had fallen asleep. I looked back up to the older woman.

"Ta-kun, you make me blush." My eyes shook even more, my mind throttled with memories, many of which were with the older woman. There was a long break of silence, my hand quickly descended back on to Eri's face, slightly brushed her cheek and returned my attention to her. A small smile appeared on her face. Her lips began to move.

"My Noata."

The older woman stood up and left the television room, but did not return.

"Fooly...Cooly?"

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**A/N: What do you guys think of this chapter? You really would have to read my FLCL oneshot to better understand this one. But you don't have to. **


	2. Of Photographs and Love Marks

-1**Chapter 2: Of Photographs and Love marks.**

**A/N: I am terribly sorry that I have delayed this for so long. I was in the worse writer's block, plus I have been going through some troubles. Hopefully, this won't be the case again, and my third chapter will be up in less time than this one.**

**D/C: I don't own anything FLCL.**

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I slowly opened my eyes, while Eri lied on top of me. Her hips driving in to mine, I just gave her a smile, a slight blush, and my warm touch. Most nights were like this, we really never got to close to it, we always stopped before it got too far, but at the point where it usually stops, she kept going tonight. Her hips grinded on top of mine, my hands found themselves on her sides and they moved smoothly up and down her body. Her hands rubbed all over my shirtless body, she was wearing my shirt again.

_I told her one time that I liked my scent on her, and she smiled when she heard it. Ever since that day, she has always worn my shirt at night._

My thoughts were all focused on Eri, she occasionally came down to my neck and nibbled on it for a while and her right hand came up to my cheek and she brushed it gently. Her tongue massaged the area of the neck on where she bit, then she would give out a slight moan of excitement. Her body flushed as she pushed her hips into my crotch, practically forcing my own excitement to grow.

_We have never had sex before, and some nights we would be intimate, but never have we gone as far as sex. Mostly because I fear someone may barge in whilst in the middle of the act, but also because I fear it may change the relationship. We are not even eighteen yet, and already we are getting this serious. But with a persistent girl like Eri, it is almost hard for me to say no to her._

She came back up, she sat on my waist and her hands found themselves at the base of the shirt she was wearing. My excitement grew as she began lifting her shirt off her body, but suddenly, something odd happened. My mind quickly set itself on Haruko. I couldn't stop thinking about her. My mind started racing with thoughts and memories, I couldn't think straight.

I grabbed Eri's arms and pulled them down, along with her shirt. I turned to the side, laying Eri next to me. Her smile disappeared.

"Naota, what's wrong, sweetie?" she kissed my lips, but mine remained stiff. My eyes closed as my energy level decreased. "Naota, please, tell me what's wrong."

"Memories… No matter what I do, I cannot seem to empty my head of these painful memories." I finally spoke, I had little control of the tone of my voice, it almost seemed that I was about ready to cry.

"Sweetie, what memories? What are you remembering?" She curled up next to me, so that the top of her head was directly under my chin.

"Five years ago… you remember?" A blurry scene appeared in my mind. I saw a younger version of myself, standing in front of a fire so huge, that it lit the night sky. I heard sirens from a distance, and I also saw Haruko. What I couldn't recognize, the only blurry part of the scene I was remembering, was another girl. She was taller than I was back then, I can assume that she was older. I saw myself staring at her, as she stared back at me. There was someone else besides Haruko in my life five years ago.

"Are you remembering about…" I stopped her before she can continue, I brushed her cheek before I slid her up to my face, so that our eyes met, and our lips met.

_Most nights we are intimate, but tonight was different._

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I woke up the next morning with Eri sleeping on my chest. It felt like she was saying that I am not going anywhere today. I smiled at the thought, and I kissed her forehead. I slowly tried to wake her from her slumber, and she slowly came to. Her eyes eased open and my eyes met hers. She smiled at me and she snuggled close to me. She can always make me smile like that.

"Hi." My left hand rested itself on her back, and I gently ran my fingers up and down her spine.

"Hi. Did you get a good night's sleep?" She cooed and smiled at me.

"Actually, yeah. I did."

We spent that morning cuddling, loving one another affectionately. Last night didn't matter anymore. We just wanted to love each other, and we do.

An hour nearly passed and we were still in bed.

The door swung open and Canti began to tend to his usual chores, well until he saw us. He slowly backed away and began to close the door.

"Canti, we are going now." Eri got off of me and she put on some shorts. I got off of bed and grabbed a shirt from my dresser and put it on as we both headed to the restroom to wash up for breakfast.

Oddly enough, we were actually smiling, even in the restroom. While I was brushing my teeth, she wrapped her arms around me and her hands rested on my chest. She nuzzled the back of my neck. I finished up and washed my mouth with water. I turned around and smiled at my lover.

"Good mood, huh? Feels good." I couldn't remember another day in which we woke up in such a great mood. I kissed her quickly and left the restroom so she can finish. I ran downstairs to the kitchen so I can start breakfast.

I broke out a few eggs, and some veggies. I mixed the eggs and diced the veggies. I turned on the stove and poured a bit of oil into the pan. I placed the veggies in and poured in the eggs after the veggies cooked for a bit. Soon, our veggie omelet was ready to eat. I took out two glasses and filled it with some orange juice.

By the time Eri was downstairs, our breakfast was ready, two plates set next to each other.

My father is usually gone by this time, and it seems that Haruko went out with him because her Vespa was still here. It didn't really mattered. We just ate our breakfast.

"Naota, I love it when you cook for me." She delightfully ate her breakfast. I knew she was being sincere, but after each bite, she would make this delighted moan. I smiled every time. After some time, I began to laugh. She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Sweetie, I'm going to jump into the shower. You can wait for me in the living room." She got up and walked upstairs.

I cleaned up the area and washed the dishes and the pan. After I was done with that I sat down on the couch and I heard the bakery door open. Footsteps slowly came closer to me. They passed me and I saw Haruko taking a seat next to me on the couch.

"Haruko?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you?" Even after five years, she still had that whiney voice.

"I'm good, actually had a very good morning today." I smiled. "Can I ask you something?" I looked at her.

"Yeah, what is it, Ta-kun?"

"Well, I mean, I was wondering, since you are still here… Why did you come back?" She laughed.

"Honestly? Well, if you are expecting for me to say 'I came back for you' then I am sorry but that is not the case." She leaned back on the couch, smiling. "I finally got what I was looking for. It took me about four years since I left to get it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Ta-kun. You should know what I am talking about, after all, it was only your head that worked."

"My head?" My mind riddled with questions, it was hard for me to pick out one question over the other, but somehow, I knew that she was talking about what happened five years ago. "You got what you were looking for last year."

"Yep." She closed her eyes, I caught a hold of her scent. She had an enchanting scent, like candy, or chocolate. I couldn't seem to shake loose of it.

"Then where did you do after that, I mean, there is still a year's gap in between then and now?"

"I saw the world. I traveled to different parts of the globe. This planet fascinated me the first time I was here. I wanted to see more than Mabase, but I knew that I would always return here. It is where everything happened, right?"

"I can't even remember what happened five years ago. I can't even remember when I lost hold of your memory. How do we go back? To that memory, I mean."

She smiled slightly as if she knew something I didn't. As if she had something in plan for the future.

"Do you remember Samejima?"

"Who?"

"I thought not. Since you can barely remember me, I sort of assumed that you lost memory of everything that happened during the first time I was here. I suspected that you would remember her, seeing as how you knew her before you met me. But then I started thinking. Yeah, I think now." She laughed. "Things sort of changed between you two during that time."

"What do you mean, changed between us?"

"Well, maybe if you see her again, your memory will spark and maybe you will remember what I am talking about."

"See her again? Wait, you saw her?"

"Yep, I saw her in America, in a place called New York. She was doing a photo shoot there."

It suddenly hit me, my mind became full with thoughts and memories.

_I remembered a girl who would always hang by the river. I remembered her as a high school student. I would always be with her. Some of the things that we would do weren't meant to be done between a twelve and a seventeen year old. It happened anyway. I remembered coming home with marks on my neck, Band-Aids covered them up so no one would see. I also remembered what she smelled like, despite of her age, she smoked, often. When she would hug me, the smell of cigarettes would rub off on my clothes. Oddly enough, no one would notice. Details about this other girl who liked to take photographs, and leave bite marks on my neck raced through my head. I remembered Samejima, but I do not remembered why she left Mabase._

The thoughts swirled inside my head, hitting the edges of my brain. These memories came back to me, but also brought a lot of pain to go with them. I didn't understand why I was able to feel that pain, I still haven't remembered all the events of what happened five years ago, but somewhere deep down inside, I know I don't want to.

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**A/N: Thank you everybody for being so patient with this story. I know it took me some time to do this chapter, but I am so sorry. My next Chapter will be done a lot quicker. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time, peace.**

**Review please.**


	3. Return of Another

-1**Chapter 3: The Return of Another**

**A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to upload this chapter, I have been far too busy and now I am here to give you more FLCL.**

**D/C: I don't own FLCL or any of it's characters.**

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I woke up the that night to a reoccurring nightmare that has been playing in my head since I remembered that other woman. A large fire filling the sky, sirens playing in the background, it was almost too real for a dream. It must have really happened. I looked to my side, Ninamori slept peacefully, her hands up to her chest to be warm, her head nuzzled against my arm, I smiled and I went back to sleep.

_She loves me. _ It was one thought that repeated the rest of the night, seeing her resting like that can only mean that she really loves me. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that she will leave me. I couldn't sleep actually. My mind was too full, and it didn't seem to slow down. A slowly turned to her, and I tapped her gently while calling out her name.

"Eri." She didn't wake up. So I tried again. "Eri." Her eyes shook, and she slowly eased them open.

"Naota , it's still dark, why did you wake me?"

"I couldn't sleep." She slightly embraced me and she rested her head on my chest.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" I slowly ran my fingers through her hair, softly massaging the top of her head.

"I keep having this dream. I keep seeing a fire, a fire so big that it lit the night sky. It wasn't the fire that had woke me up, it was someone in the dream. I was a lot younger, I could tell, I haven't worn that sweater in years. Well, like I was saying, I saw someone, someone who I had only remembered recently."

"You mean Haruko?" She gently moved her fingers up and down on my chest, her face burying nuzzling against my chest.

I looked at her carefully, and I slowly uttered the words. "Do you love me?" Her fingers stop, and her head slowly lifted from my chest.

"Why would you ask me something like that?" She looked confused, she placed her palm on my cheek and she lowered her head onto mine. Our lips met, it was the most passionate, yet calm kiss I have ever experienced. Her kisses were never like this, they were usually short, and sometimes a bit rough, but this kiss, made me relax enough to forget the dream. She slowly, and lovingly broke the kiss, making sure that our lips were still touching even after the kiss was broken. "Naota, I love you."

We had been together for over a year, yet, _I love you_ never sounded more sincere before. It was the first time that those three words made my heart beat faster, it was the first time I was out of breath, it was the first time I felt feint. Those three words were stronger than they ever were before, and it made me confident enough even to do something I had planned for a few months. I'll be eighteen next month, and she'll be eighteen shortly after, I wonder how she sill respond when I ask her.

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Morning had arrived, I was first to wake up. I look to my side and Eri was asleep in the same position as last night. A smile appeared on my face as I slowly got up. I quickly got dressed and headed downstairs where my father and Haruko were already getting 'friendly' with each other.

"Naota-kun, you're up early?" My father looked at me and immediately stopped what he was doing.

"I need you to take me to the pawn shop. There's something there that I had my eye on for a few months, and the owner said that he would keep a hold of it for me, so it's still there."

The door swung open, and I could hear the roar of a motor bike outside.

"I'll take him, I have time." Haruko dressed in a tight shirt and blue jeans volunteered. She grabbed my arm and pulled me outside.

I grabbed my bike helmet and followed Haruko to her bike. That's when I saw it, her vespa. A random image of a flying vespa popped in to my head, but I quickly lost it. "Are you sure we'll both fit?"

"Come on, Takun. You'll fit just perfectly, just hold on to me and it'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes! Now hop on!"

So I did, I sat behind Haruko and as soon as I did, she leaned back a bit forcing me to hold on to your waist. She drove off.

"So what are you getting?" She yelled.

"It's nothing really, it's just something I've been planning on getting for Eri for her 18th birthday."

"She's turning 18?"

"Yeah." She didn't say much after that, she continued driving. Her scent was stronger than before, it was like the scent of freshly brewed coffee, you catch a hint of it, but it's strong, and you get cravings for it. I gripped Haruko a bit tighter as she picked up speed, but her scent distracted me more.

She finally stopped, and we were in front of the pawn shop. I got off.

"Stay here, I'll be back in ten minutes." She refused.

"I'm going too, I want to see what you are getting her."

"It's kind of personal, Haruko, so please wait." She laughed.

"Alright, Takun. I'll wait."

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It was almost 12 noon when we got back to the bakery. Eri was outside waiting for me, and she looked angry. I hid the box in Haruko's vespa and I got off, slowly walking towards Eri.

"Where did you go, Naota?" She leaned forward to me, I leaned back.

"I went to do something for my father. Haruko took me."

Ninamori raised an eyebrow and I only looked back at the Vespa. She then hugged me and she tickled my chest. "What did your father want?"

"He wanted me to deliver something. It was in a bax so I didn't even know what it was. I'm home now and I can't wait for next month."

She smiled and looked at me. "That's right, it'll be your birthday pretty soon." I nodded and I looked back at her with an innocent smile.

"Yeah, then two weeks later, it'll be yours." She nodded back as she leaned up to kiss me. I looked back outside, my eyes focusing on the Vespa, I also noticed what a nice day it was. I looked back down at Eri.

"Let's go out, right now. I would really hate to spoil such a beautiful mid-day. I haven't really been out with you for a while." She smiled and she ran upstairs. I walked outside and grabbed a bag from Haruko's Vespa, and inside the bag, was a small box, never have I felt so nervous about a piece of metal. The shine had to be perfect, the stone shouldn't be scratched, it had to be perfect for Eri. I grabbed the box from the bag and I slipped it into my sweater.

Eri came downstairs wearing blue jeans and a slim white shirt, and she wore a sweater. I smiled and bobbed my head so we could go.

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She held on to my arm as we walked over the bridge that over looked the river, I smiled as we were almost right in the middle of the bridge. I took her and looked at her blissfully.

"Eri, I have been thinking a lot about this, and I would appreciate it if you would take a moment to think about what I'm going to ask you right now."

She looked at me with only a smile, "What is it, hun?"

I got down on one knee, I looked up at her, I slowly grabbed the ring box from inside my sweater pocket, I slowly opened it and revealed the ring to her. "Eri, will you marry me?"

There was a long gasp that came from her mouth, she began to shake and quickly nodded. "Yes, Noata, I will marry you."

"You will?" A big smile appeared on my face and I quickly slipped the ring on her finger. I got up and hugger Eri tightly.

"Oh, Noata, it's beautiful."

I heard clanking from a distance, and I looked around only to see a car pass by. I heard the clanking again and this time I saw a figure in the fog. I took Eri and placed her behind me.

"Who's there?" No answer, "Answer me, who's there!?" The figure stopped walking closer, and the fog dispersed. The light shinned down at the figure and I saw a woman, in blue jeans, a white tee-shirt, a denim jacket and blue hair. The woman continued to walk closer to Eri and I, I slowly stepped back with Eri behind me. Then I heard the voice.

"Noata!" I froze, and my heart began to ache. Eri came to my attention, but my heart wouldn't stop hurting. Then I heard that voice again. "Noata!" I fell to my knees, soon my head started to hurt too. I couldn't breath… I couldn't…

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**A/N: Oh no! What happened to Noata??? Find out in my fourth installment of FLCL!**

**R&R folks**


	4. Waking Up

-1**Chapter 4- Waking Up**

**AN: I know I haven't loaded anything in a while… I had a really bad case of writer's block… I don't know for all you new readers… if you have read my one shot, but it is a continuation of that story… Also… I will be writing another FLCL story soon and it is looking up to be one of my best yet.**

**DC: I don't own FLCL nor any of its Characters.**

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I woke up not knowing what exactly where I was, I woke up finding myself hooked up to a machine. My vision was adjusting to the light in the room when I heard, just a few feet away from me, steps creeping closer to me. A large white figure stood in front of my feet and in front of the bed.

"Well, looks like you are finally up." The white figure came closer and shined some light into my eyes. I tried to move away but I was unable. My vision was slowly clearing, but I still couldn't make out a face. I had to struggle to get my eyes focused. Suddenly, I smelled the scent of cigarettes.

A soft voice from outside the door entered.

"Sorry… I had to take a smoke. Oh, Naota's up."

"Ma…" I was barely able to say anything, my whole body felt weak for some strange reason. I slowly turned my head and what I saw shocked me; balloons and rose baskets and 'Get Well' soon cards. I forced myself to speak, it took me much effort to do so.

"H… how long was I out?" the doctor didn't say anything at first, but rather he began to bite his pencil… he looked to the side as Mamimi entered the room.

"Naota?" Mamimi finally spoke to me after taking a good look at me. "We thought you'd never wake up."

"What do you mean? How long was I out?"

Mamimi also didn't give me an immediate answer.

"Tell me!" I shouted…

"You were out for a little over three months. We did every test we could think of but nothing explained your coma. However, everyone around you said that you never looked more at peace, Mamimi, you're father, and Eri all agreed. Haruko even mentioned that a certain weight had been lifted off of your shoulders and you didn't seem to care at all about anything else now." The doctor explained to me at once.

"Yeah, Naota, it was like you were waiting for something before you finally collapsed." Mamimi took her turn.

I turned away and whispered softly to myself, "But why was I waiting for you, Mamimi? Why was I waiting for Haruko, Eri, and even my father? Why did it all happen now? Wasn't I already happy?"

"Naota…" Eri's soft voice echoed from the hallway outside my hospital room, but I didn't turn towards the door as she ran in and jumped on me with a hug. I could tell that she had been crying a lot lately… she'd only jump and hug me like that when something had been bothering her. I wonder if she… knows.

"Eri…" I took a good look at her face and I softly smiled. "You haven't been sleeping much, have you?" The evidence of Eri crying herself to sleep at night was clearly visible to me. Her eyelids were red, as if she had been rubbing them for hours without end. She was also a bit swollen around the eyes too. "Eri, why did you… cry so much for me?"

She turned away and responded. "Don't pretend that you don't know, Naota!" She looked back at me, "I was ready to stop crying for you, but I didn't stop… I kept crying because I love you!"

It was my turn to turn away. I quickly glanced over to the Doctor and Mamimi as they left the room. I turned back at Eri slowly as a sat up. My feet met the cold floor, sending chilling shocks up my back, but I had to walk. Eri placed her hand on my shoulder and I brushed it off.

"I'm sorry, I got to get out of here."

The doctor came in again, "Well, since you are up and you seem to have the strength, I don't think we need to keep you here any longer, so you may go home now with your family."

I closed my eyes for just a moment, then I heard something unusual, the sound of glass breaking on the ground, as if someone just had a tragic lost… a lost that meant the complete breakdown of a family. This feeling, I knew for a fact, that the glass breaking, was for me.

I opened my eyes again, slowly to see that we were already back in the bakery, everyone crowding around me, tending to me as if I was paraplegic.

Haruko…

_Let's face it Naota, you're still just a kid. That's just the way it is, sometimes you're the cat's pajamas, and sometimes you are not._

Mamimi…

_Here! It's yours, isn't it? There's still more than half left chief. Earlobes, if I don't do it I'll overflow… maybe something amazing._

Eri…

_You're Puss in Boots. You're the one who tricks the prince and lies who he really is and pretends to be someone else forever. But in time he becomes that person, he transcends the mass, don't you get it? That's how he finds happiness. That's pretty good, right?_

My Father…

_Just think of the symbolism involved of having a humanoid robot in a normal household. Take family structure A that takes the robot in and accepts it as one of it own. And you take Social structure M that allows this all to happen… AND EVERYONE IS BUYING INITIAL D!_

What happened to the world that I left behind? What kind of world did I wake up in? After that lightning storm so many nights ago… I knew something was different… the scent of Eri's clothes even hinted to me that she wasn't the same Eri. Her persistency that one night when we came so close of our first time together was more obvious.

When Haruko came back, I knew everything had changed, I even changed… the wedding ring I bought never popped in my mind before until that day when Mamimi returned. When I passed out… I dreamt of my world… my actual world.

And it was…

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**A/N: for all you loyal readers, hopefully you haven't given up hope for me… I'm back and I am ready to finish this series! Whoot whoot! Naota's Dream World next chapter!**


	5. Mabase Naota's World

-1**Chapter 5: Mabase - Naota's World.**

**A/N: To tell you all the truth, I am truly excited about this chapter, and I get really excited when I talk to people about this chapter.**

**D/C: I don't own FLCL or any of it's characters.**

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…_It was a world in which everyone hated me again; a world filled with memories I don't have, yet I have feelings, strong feelings, for each and every one of those memories. Where the hell am I? I feel this strange, uncomfortable, tingling sensation crawling up my spine, I know I've been here before, I can't remember the last time I felt like this. I looked around in my room and saw that everything was thrown to the floor, this place was a mess._

I suddenly remembered this place…

_Its my world, my home, the place where all my memories, dreams, and hopes laid awake, waiting for me to grab on to them once again. I never thought that I'd come back to this place of familiar scents, memories, presences, this world that I once hated. I wonder where exactly I have been._

I looked up and barely noticed the top bunk over my head, and not only that, I also sensed someone sleeping on top. I assumed it was Haruko, but in this world, how could I be sure?

"Are you sleeping? How are you? What are you? Where did you come from?"

"Hehe!" Suddenly, Haruko popped her head from the top and looked down at me with that conniving smile. "Were you about to confess your undying love for me?"

"I didn't know you were awake!" I looked away to hide my embarrassment.

"How embarrassing!" That smile of hers grew.

"Why did you come back?" I looked back up as she flipped down to my bed, and took a seat next to me.

"Do you like it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your room. When I came back to Mabase, you were the first one I wanted to see, but I came here, and found that you were already gone. I would have given up, had I not felt your N.O. activate. Right then, I'd knew you'd come back to this world, after all, Ta-kun, you were the only one who really got to me. To be honest… I think I was actually in love with you more than I was with Atamsk."

"How long did you wait for me?" I looked down to her lap, I couldn't really bare to look straight at her eyes. It had been too long since I gazed into those eyes.

"About a year, then I grew impatient and used my powers to get to you, even if that meant opening up your channel to get to you. I was surprised how strong her N.O. is, I mean to be able to shut off your N.O., to be able to completely leave and take whatever she pleased."

"She?" I looked up, I had feeling that I knew who Haruko was talking about, and the name came out at the same time that Haruko said it.

"Eri Ninamori."

"Something must have really happened to throw your brain off enough to make you lose control of your own N.O. What the hell happened to you?"

"I think… I was lost… and broken. I probably should have noticed something wrong that night of the Thunder Storm, we hardly ever had any that whole year." I was barely able to move and I was struggling to keep my eyes open.

"She's trying to pull you back, back into her world, where you have no memories, no life, no control, no feelings, no me…"

I looked up at Haruko, and I could tell that getting to me was harder than she made it sound.

"She won't get you back so easily…" She leaned in closer to me, and I felt her lips against mine. I felt the softness of her hands against my cheeks as she leaned against me more. I placed my hands against her waist, and I held on to her so I wouldn't lose her again. I felt awake again, and I embraced Haruko's kiss with my own, partially open to deepen the hold we have on each other, to really know what its like to feel like myself again. I pulled back a bit, and I gazed into her eyes…

"She's not going to get me back so easily… I won't let her." I remembered the other world, and how awful it was to be controlled. "Haruko… how did my memories come back too, and how did Mamimi come into her world?"

"I got lucky… When I passed through your channel, I guess all the memories came with me, well, some of the memories… and I guess Mamimi's memory came with me too… your head is that powerful. You can pull memories into a world that is not yours and make them real."

"So am I back in my world?"

"Not really… your body is here… and so is your consciousness, but your mind is still in her world… and as long as she has a hold of it… she can pull you back in."

"I may have to return to her world… so I can break free."

Haruko nodded and she sat up again. "You know… Sameji is here too… she did come back to Mabase, maybe, you'd like to see her before you go back?"

I got up from my bed. "Why are you being so… unselfish? You're treating me like, an adult."

"Aren't you? You've grown up… the moment you said you had to go back to break free, I knew that you have… it was the first grown up decision you have made, the first one that I know of." I got up from my bed, and explored my room a bit more.

"Nothing has really changed, since I left, huh?"

"Not really… and the differences, you'll notice them."

"Right…"

"I'll see you when you get back from her world?"

"You bet!" I smiled and took off after putting a shirt on.

_I didn't even bother to ask Haruko where Mamimi was, I kinda figured that I knew where she'd be, if I trust my memories that is._

I hopped on my bike and headed towards the river, my head was already pounding by then.

_Was this what Mamimi meant when she said she overflows?_

I peddled faster and the bridge was already in my sights. I was breathing hard and fast, I didn't want to miss this last chance to talk to Mamimi. I hit a rock and I fell over… managing only scratches, I got up and ran the rest of the way.

I started laughing, just imagining what she'd say when sees me…

"_You didn't have to run all the way here, Chief."_

I reached the bridge and there she was, smoking a cigarette while leaning over the rails of the bridge, she looked over to me as I was breathing hard, and fast. The mist of hot air escaped my breath every time I breathed out, I should have brought a sweater, its cold.

"Ma…Mamimi?"

"Naota?" I couldn't believe what I was witnessing, she let the smoke slip out of her mouth as she started approaching me… slowly at first, but her pace quickened, and her arms wrapped around me. "Where the fuck have you been?!" I realized that we were the same height, finally.

"I was gone… somewhere… lost."

I didn't think that she would have hugged me like this… I remember her leaving Mabase to chase her dream to take pictures, and all she said was 'So long, Naota."

"Naota… I came back and I discovered that you were gone, I thought that you had left Mabase. I know you though, I would never leave this place."

"I did, I left it for another world, but I wasn't aware of it until I came back here. It seems that this is truly my home and…" I started laughing a bit, "… I can never leave this place. You're right, Mamimi. I will never leave this place… its my home." Her arms wrapped around me a bit tighter as she rested her head against my neck, her blue hair settled over my shoulder.

"Naota, don't leave again, this place feels so empty without you."

"Mamimi… I'm going to have to leave, just for a little while. I'll be back though. I just got to have my mind back here too, then I can truly come back home."

She didn't say anything. A lot has changed about her, maybe she realized that this must have felt like home to her too. Either that, or she really missed me.

My eyes felt heavy again, and I can distinctly hear beeping over and over again.

"Mamimi… do one for me?"

"Ok."

"Kiss me… I think my time here is done."

"Uh, Ta-kun…" She called me Ta-kun. "I'm sorry, I called you that name again… huh?"

"Don't worry about it." I picked her head up from my neck and I pressed my lips against hers. At first she was a bit stiff, but her lips soon relaxed and she returned that sweet kiss. She pulled away and looked into me.

"You're eyes, they look tired."

"I think I have to go now… I'll be back soon, and we'll hang out and do things that are ok between two people, not a kid and a teenager, but two adults." She gave me a smile and kissed my cheek.

"Don't grow up too fast, Chief, or you'll overflow." I nodded and took off running… that beeping noise was getting louder, and the distinctive smell of a hospital room was in the air. It was getting colder and my eyes were feeling heavier. I stopped, realizing I couldn't run anymore…

"I'll see you guys… in the other side."

**A/N: Omg!!! This is really getting big, I mean… the last chapter is just going to explode and just wait and see… I have such big things planned out for the final installment! Read and Review fans!**


	6. Second FLCLimax

Chapter 6: The Second FLClimax

Chapter 6: The Second FLClimax

**A/N: Sorry that it has taken me so long to write this chapter, it really is hard to find time with all this going on in my life. I really try to find time for my readers and I try my best to give you an ending worth reading. I have really thought about how this is going to end and I'm sorry that it has taken this long. I'm sad that I have to let this one sit there so long; I should be ashamed of calling myself a FLCL fanatic. Here it is guys, the biggest ending I'll ever write.**

**D/C: Don't own, don't sue, just the biggest fan to ever write a FLCL fanfic.**

I slowly opened my eyes, not knowing exactly what to expect through the darkness. The smell of sweet shampoo was right underneath my nose, and I tried to move, but was unable. I was being pushed down against my own bed, I had trouble adjusting to the dark. I finally woke up, Eri was hold me down with all her strength. She held on to me tightly and wouldn't let me go. I can hear her struggling.

"If I don't let you go, then you can't leave me ever again." She said with a soft voice. "You scared me, Naota. I thought you would never return to me." I told myself that I wouldn't fall for her lies anymore, she is just another girl with N.O. Just another girl using me. "I love you Nao-…"

"ENOUGH!" I interrupted, "Eri, get off, this isn't where I should be." I pushed her back but she pushed me even harder. Her hands slid down my body, all I was able to do was watch. She had a clear hold of my head… she wasn't going to let go so easily. Then I felt her hand grasp and stroke me slowly. "Let go of me… Eri." My voice clearly was not in synch with what I felt. I felt the blood rush to my head and the heat and tension rise all over my body, there wasn't much I could do.

"Even if I have to do this, I'll keep you here." She began to stroke faster, my body was completely paralyzed by her touch. I couldn't conjure up the strength to move my hand and push her away. The fear grew in me; doubts that I would never escape filled my head. "This is your paradise, your home, no one will hurt you here." What I then witnessed was not an act of love or lust… it was an act of selfishness and greed. She lowered her entire body, while stroking me, and slowly opened her mouth and took me with her lips. It was over… my body just froze, I couldn't think or even breathe. I thought nothing would save me. My vision blurred and through the tiniest breath, I moaned. Eri had me, and she had me good.

I opened my eyes again; there she was, keeping me underneath her. She somehow stripped me naked. She raised her head from my chest and gave me a smile.

"Naota, you're up. Did you love my gift? I can give you more." And that's when I felt her naked body against mine. Once again, all that blood just came rushing to my face. She smirked and kissed my neck.

"BANG! SPLAT! KABAAM!" there was someone outside yelling out… it snapped me out of this paralysis and I pushed Eri off me. She stumbled to try to get back on top but I was already up and putting my clothes on.

"No, Naota!" I didn't stop. "You don't know what will await you out there." She lowered her head and a dark aura began to surround her. "You don't know what I'm capable of." I didn't turn back again, I just put on my shirt and opened the terrace door and looked out through the patio. There I saw Haruko on her Vespa.

"Naota, hurry up, the bridge will be out if we don't hurry." Haruko was waving at me. I didn't have time to look at what was becoming of Eri. I didn't really care anymore. I jumped down and landed in front of Haruko. "Nice landing." I smiled.

"It actually hurt more than it looked." Suddenly the ground began to shake violently. "What the…" The bakery was breaking up. It collapsed right in front of me and a thick fog of smoke surrounded the area. I was barely able to see past a few inches, though I saw something moving around in it. I felt something strong. It was getting closer.

"You won't escape!" Eri appeared through the fog wielding a black Gibson Flying V guitar.

"Watch out!" I jumped and pushed Haruko away as Eri's guitar came crashing down on the Vespa, completely destroying it. I was shocked by Eri's outer appearance. Most of Eri's hair was covering her face, and a dark cloud seemed to be forming around her. She stood up right and dragged the guitar across the ground as she came closer to us. "Haruko, meet me at the bridge."

Haruko sat there doing nothing. She got up and looked over at me.

"Takkun, you'll never escape this world alone." I just nodded as she took off running. I turned and faced Eri. I felt my heart shake as I approached her.

"Eri, you lost. You have to deal with it." She growled and swung her guitar at me without hesitation but came to a stop as I grabbed the guitar's body from hitting me. I had no idea what came over me when I saw Eri crying. Tears were trailing down her face and onto her clothes. I let go of the guitar, but as I did, the guitar came full swing at me, knocked me back and sent me flying till I collided with a wall. I fell and landed on all fours. I coughed up some blood but quickly regained my stance. I can hear Eri's guitar grinding against the concrete as she came after me. I was only able to grin as she ran closer… her guitar came at me again with a full swing, but crashed against another. Haruko came back with my Flying V guitar.

"Ta-kun, you forgot your bat." Haruko smiled and pushed Eri back.

"Haruko, wait!" I ran and grabbed my guitar from Haruko's hands. "I meant it when I said to wait for at the bridge. Now go!" Haruko just shrugged.

"Alright, Takkun, I'll give you 15 minutes. The portal will close after that." Haruko ran off again. The skies went dark as rain began to fall. Eri turned and saw Haruko making a run for it, and Eri began to chase her. I grabbed Eri in time and pulled her back, and with no thought, I threw my arms around her. That dark aura began to settle and disappear.

"Eri, this isn't my world. I don't belong here and neither do you." She dropped her guitar. "You played with my head and took my memories away from me. Did you think that by doing so, you can make me happy?" I also dropped my guitar and waited for Eri to respond.

"I wasn't happy before."

"Huh?"

"Before any of this ever happened, you were still caught up in that world. I didn't know if you really wanted to be with me, or if you just wanted to use me to get through Haruko and that other girl, Mamimi. Instead, I made up your mind for you and took away all your pain and gave us a chance at true happiness." Her voice returned to her natural tone, her body leaned against mine and I felt something different from her, as if a burden had been lifted from her. "But I think I understand now… even if it was just a tiny bit that I took away, I can never have you one hundred percent. I still don't want you to go from here. Its perfect here."

"I still can't stay here. I'm sorry, Eri, but I have to go." I released my hold on her and I began to run for the bridge.

I was only a few blocks away from the bridge when I looked back and saw everything go dark behind me. I couldn't stop now. I ran as fast as I could for the remaining distance and came to a stop at the start of the bridge. I looked around and saw that Haruko wasn't in sight.

"She must be at the other side." I began to walk across. Slowly, the area became consumed in fog; I was hardly able to see a few inches past my nose. Just as soon as I thought I would become blind from the fog, it slowly began to clear up. I found myself on the other side, and right in front of me were Mamimi and Haruko waiting.

"You almost didn't make it, Ta-kun." Haruko pointed behind me and I turned only to see the fog disappear completely.

"Welcome back, Naota." Mamimi greeted me with a wave. I walked towards the two and signaled them to follow me home.

In that instant, I knew that I was back home where I belong. In a sense, I think I knew Eri was back where she needed to be too. One thing did keep running through my head… _How did she get out?_

Weeks went by, and then months, still, I haven't seen Eri at all since that day. I knew that she was still out there somewhere. I began to laugh. In the end, we become so use to a world where everything is perfect. A world of happiness and love, and when you take that world away, you kind of wish to go back. You can't always have everything that want, and sometimes, things have to be sacrificed to obtain.

I nodded; I knew exactly what was wrong in my heart. I wanted Eri back, but it seemed that she wasn't going to come back this time. I guess that was her last joke.

"_Even if it is only a small part that you take away, you'll never be happy unless you are a hundred percent."_ I finally get it.

"… Damn."

**A/N: This is the part of the story where you get a very sad ending theme. It took a lot of thought to complete this and I am sure that it won't disappoint. Sorry that I took too long for this part, but for a while, I was thinking of how to end it all. I got stuck with like 15 possible endings, one of which included Naota dying, but I don't like killing off main characters. I decided to go with this one, because I felt it is really one of the deepest endings I've ever come up with. I feel, in a way, heart broken to see this finally completed… I've only received such a few amount of reviews, I was hoping for a bit more. I can't really change that. All I can do is write and hope that people would read my stories. Thank you for reading this far and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it.**


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